Method for determining the behavior of a smart card, and related server

Abstract

A method for determining a behavior of a smart card, which may be implemented by a server. The method includes operations for obtaining a first reference time data corresponding to a time for setting a smart card clock, and a second reference time data corresponding to a time for reading a first time data from the clock, determining a time drift associated with the smart card based on the first reference time data and on the second reference time data, and determining a behavior of the smart card from the time drift.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for determining a behavior of a first smart card, the method being implemented by a server, and comprising:
 obtaining a first reference time data corresponding to a time of setting a clock of the first smart card or a second smart card, and a second reference time data corresponding to a time of reading a first time data of said clock; 
 determining a time drift associated with the first smart card based on said first reference time data and on said second reference time data; and 
 determining a behavior of the first smart card from said time drift, wherein the determining a behavior of the first smart card comprises:
 determining a variation in a speed at which said clock drifts by comparing said time drift with a previously determined time drifts, and 
 determining a remaining lifetime of the first smart card based on the variation in the speed at which said clock drifts; 
 
 determining a corrected card security code from said time drift; and 
 comparing the corrected card security code with a received card security code, wherein:
 said second reference time data is received during a phase of use of the first smart card, during a third transaction implemented by the first smart card, 
 the determination of the time drift comprising a definition of the time drift at a given value, and 
 the time drift being modified if the corrected card security code is different from the received card security code. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first smart card comprises said clock. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second smart card comprises said clock, and the first smart card and the second smart card are from a same manufacturing batch. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the step of obtaining a first reference time data comprises receiving said first reference time data of the clock. 
 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the server is an authentication server, able to authenticate the first smart card. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the time drift is also determined based on information on a manufacture or use of the first smart card, stored in the server. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining a behavior comprises:
 obtaining a second time data of the clock of the first smart card, and a third reference time data corresponding to a time for reading the second time data of the clock, during a second transaction implemented by said first smart card, 
 wherein the determined behavior is determined based on the third reference time data. 
 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the given value is determined based on the previously determined time drift. 
     
     
       9. A server comprising:
 a memory containing instructions; and 
 a processor that is operably connected to the memory and that executes the instructions to perform operations for determining a behavior of a first smart card, the operations comprising:
 obtaining a first reference time data corresponding to a time of setting a clock of the first smart card or a second smart card, and a second reference time data corresponding to a time of reading a first time data of said clock; 
 determining a time drift associated with the first smart card based on said first reference time data and on said second reference time data; and 
 determining a behavior of the first smart card from said time drift, wherein the determining a behavior of the first smart card comprises:
 determining a variation in a speed at which said clock drifts by comparing said time drift with a previously determined time drift, and 
 
 determining a remaining lifetime of the first smart card based on the variation in the speed at which said clock drifts; 
 
 determining a corrected card security code from said time drift; and 
 comparing the corrected card security code with a received card security code, wherein:
 said second reference time data is received during a phase of use of the first smart card, during a third transaction implemented by the first smart card, 
 the determination of the time drift comprising a definition of the time drift at a given value, and 
 the time drift being modified if the corrected card security code is different from the received card security code. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The server of  claim 9 , wherein said first smart card comprises said clock. 
     
     
       11. The server of  claim 9 , wherein the second smart card comprises said clock, and the first smart card and the second smart card are from a same manufacturing batch. 
     
     
       12. The sever of  claim 9 , wherein the server is an authentication server, able to authenticate the first smart card. 
     
     
       13. The server of  claim 9 , wherein the time drift is also determined based on information on a manufacture or use of the first smart card, stored in the server. 
     
     
       14. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium on which a computer program is recorded comprising instructions that when executed by a computer, perform operations for determining a behavior of a first smart card, the operations comprising:
 obtaining a first reference time data corresponding to a time of setting a clock of said first smart card or a second smart card, and a second reference time data corresponding to a time of reading a first time data of said clock; 
 determining a time drift associated with the first smart card based on said first reference time data and on said second reference time data; and 
 determining a behavior of the first smart card from said time drift, wherein the determining a behavior of the first smart card comprises:
 determining a variation in a speed at which said clock drifts by comparing said time drift with a previously determined time drift, and 
 determining a remaining lifetime of the first smart card based on the variation in the speed at which said clock drifts; 
 
 determining a corrected card security code from said time drift; and 
 comparing the corrected card security code with a received card security code, wherein:
 said second reference time data is received during a phase of use of the first smart card, during a third transaction implemented by the first smart card, 
 the determination of the time drift comprising a definition of the time drift at a given value, and 
 the time drift being modified if the corrected card security code is different from the received card security code. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the second smart card comprises said clock, and the first smart card and the second smart card are from a same manufacturing batch, 
 the step of obtaining a first reference time data comprises receiving said first reference time data of the clock. 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the step of determining a behavior comprises:
 obtaining a second time data of the clock of the first smart card, and a third reference time data corresponding to a time for reading the second time data of the clock, during a second transaction implemented by said first smart card, 
 wherein the determined behavior is determined based on the third reference time data. 
 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the given value is determined based on the previously determined time drift.